Cotton

Tripty sources as sustainable as possible being aware of enviromental and social impacts.

Raw Cotton Fiber

Our cotton is grown in the rural villages high in the Chittagong Hill Tracts near the Burmese border in Southeast Bangladesh. The growers are an indigenous tribe called the Mro. The Mro grow this cotton alongside their food and use it make clothing for their village, selling the extra exclusively to The Tripty Project for added income.

Processing

The seeds in the cotton are separated from the fiber using a hand made machine which acts as a primitive cotton gin. This innovative hand made machine saves thousands of hours of work each year, allowing the artisans more time to spend with their village and family.

Spinning

The raw cotton must be spun into yarn before being dyed and woven. The Mro use a traditional drop spinning technique that uses a top-like tool to stretch the fluffy cotton into yarn. Also pictured is a women from the nearby village of Lama using a traditional spinning wheel. A less mobile but more efficient form of spinning.

Dying

Once spun, the yarn is natural dyed and sun dried, using natural ingredients such as marigold flower, native tree bark, onion peels, or local fruits and plants. The women come together and collaborate in the dying process, sharing the workload and profits equally.

Weaving

Weavings are done on small backstrap looms which are set up in common spaces or outside a home. Women usually weave in the evenings or in between household chores, allowing them to practice their craft and earn a modest living while taking care of their children and preserving their native village lifestyle.

Sewing

Once woven, the fabric is brought to Savar where the fabric is cut, sewn and transformed into the final Tripty products. The items are constructed in a rehabilitation "factory" which works with the women victims of the Rana Plaza building collapse. These victims are given health care, child care and a good wage while being able to work in a comfortable, positive, peaceful environment.